


Stray Cat Strut

by thenakednymph



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Also I hc that Pidge can beatbox, Fluff, Garrison trio, I LOVE THIS SONG - Freeform, I have no reason or excuse for this nonsense, M/M, Non-binary pronouns for Pidge, friends - Freeform, im not even sorry, inviting Keith I’m on the fun, posts a song fic like it’s still 2008, so there’s that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 23:23:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17517800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: Keith wanders in on the other three making breakfast, inadvertently stumbling into the middle of what’s apparently a regular routine for them. And an impromptu serenade by Lance.





	Stray Cat Strut

**Author's Note:**

> Here, just take this nonsense. 
> 
> Lance serenades the other Paladins while making breakfast. Pidge and Hunk help.

Lance and Hunk and already working together to make breakfast, Pidge sitting at the table when Keith wanders in. Lance is swaying from side to side, humming to himself. It’s a tune Keith doesn’t recognize but is still oddly familiar, like he’s caught Lance humming it before. 

He pulls out a chair and sits down as a smile begins to pull across Pidge’s mouth. Eyes still on their computer screen Pidge starts to hum the tune back at Lance. 

He pauses where he’s whisking eggs, his eyes meeting Pidge’s over the laptop, a matching grin beginning to cross his face and he hums louder, actually beginning to dance in the kitchen, bowl still cradled in one arm. 

Hunk rolls his eyes but a smile is on his face too. Keith looks between them all in confusion, ready to ask but then Hunk is tapping out a rhythm on the counter and Lance begins to sing, moving fluidly through the kitchen. 

_ “Black and orange stray cat sittin’ on a fence,”  _ he coos, a deep melodic tune from Hunk in a rising crest of ooh’s carries his voice as Pidge takes over tapping out a rhythm, still humming. 

_ “I ain’t got enough dough to pay the rent~” _ Lance passes the bowl over to Hunk, both of them still singing together, moving around one another as Lance begins to chop vegetables, Hunk pouring the eggs out into a skillet. Keith realizes they’re making omelets. 

Lance’s head bobs in a rhythm from side to side to a song Keith can’t hear outside of what they’re managing to create together. 

_ “I’m flat broke but I don’t care.” _ Lance puts his nose in the air, confident and smug, voice growing stronger.  _ “I strut right by with my tail in the air.” _ He turns, doing a step Keith recognizes as something from a line dance while swinging an imaginary tail and winking at Keith.

_ “Stray cat strut I’m a-” _

_ “Ladies cat~” _ all three of them sing together, startling Keith and Lance’s voice grows louder as he begins to actually use his diaphragm to support the song and Keith realizes he hadn’t really been trying before. 

_ “I’m a feline Casanova-” _

_ “Hey! Man that’s that,”  _ the other two jump in again.

Pidge sways on the stool next to him alternating between keeping rhythm with both hands and using one to type, somehow never losing the beat. There’s a wide smile on their face the likes of which Keith has never seen before. 

_ “Get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man.”  _ Lance makes a face.  _ “Get my dinner from a garbage can,” _ he purrs throwing a bit of whatever he’s supposed to be chopping at Hunk instead of working. 

_ “Yeow~” _ Keith does his best to smother a laugh at the sound Lance makes but doesn’t succeed and gets vegetable bits thrown at him too. He sticks his tongue out in retaliation and Lance grins. 

_ “Yeah don’t cross my path!” _ Lance warns, waggling a finger at Keith which shouldn’t make him blush but it does. 

Hunk turns to pick up a bowl of diced veggies to add to the skillet, falling into step with Lance when he pulls him in for a number of eight counts. It’s a practiced series of moves, simple and uncomplicated that Keith definitely recognizes as a line dance now. Lance keeps breaking off into more flamboyant movements as he sings, making them all smile, obviously enjoying himself. 

Hunk seamlessly disentangles himself a moment later and checks on the skillet to make sure the eggs haven’t burned. 

_ “I don’t bother chasing mice around~”  _ Lance sings, wagging a finger again and his eyes sparkle. “ _ Oh no!” _ He abandons any attempt at chopping vegetables to just dance around the kitchen. 

_ “I slink down the alley looking for a fight, howling to the moonlight on a hot summer night!”  _ He tips his head back, voice rising, something about the pitch of the notes and the low warmth of Lance’s voice raising goosebumps on Keith’s arm.  _ “Singin' the blues while the lady cats cry~”  _

Keith can’t help thinking this is something they’ve done before, just the three of them. It makes something in his chest squeeze. He feels like an outsider and drops his head, spinning the vegetable bit Lance has thrown at him on the counter. 

_ “‘Wild stray cat, you're a real gone guy,’” _ Lance sings, stepping around the island and taking Keith’s hand, startling him. He pulls Keith off of his stool and spins him, the movement awkward and stumbling. Keith loses his balance, caught off guard by whatever is happening and then Lance is sliding an arm around his waist, standing next to him and beginning to tap his feet on the ground first his right heel, then his left and then again, still singing. 

_ “I wish I could be as carefree and wild.” _ His eyes go sly as he taps his heel in front of him and then his toes behind, Keith beginning to follow along.  _ “But I got cat class and I got cat style.”  _ By the time Lance makes it through the steps a second time Keith already has it down and Lance has moved far enough back to give them both room but he hasn’t let go of Keith’s hand, adding in an extra step to compensate for the turns, making sure he’s always at Keith’s side. 

_ “I don't bother chasing mice around,” _ he drawls and this time as he goes into the final verses both Pidge and Hunk join him. As the last note fades out Lance spins Keith again just because he can, the four of them dissolving into a fit of giggles as Hunk sets an omelette down where Keith was sitting. Keith can feels his cheeks are warm and sore from smiling so much. 

Lance guides him back to his seat and bows with a flourish. 

“Thank you for the dance kind sir,” he teases and Keith flushes again, taking the fork Hunk passes him.

“I take it this is something you’ve all done before?” 

Hunk nods. “Back at the Garrison. The song came on one morning and Lance may have started serenading us while I was making breakfast and Pidge was being Pidge.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” they snap, finally glancing up from the laptop.

“It sort of became a thing after that?” Hunk scratches at the back of his neck and Keith smiles. “A breakfast making tradition and a chance for us to just kind of hang out with one another before class,” he finishes.

“It was cute.” He looks at Lance taking a bite of his breakfast. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

Lance colors at the praise, nearly choking in embarrassment and he gets that look, the one Keith only ever sees when they manage to hit on something Lance actually cares about. It’s vulnerable and shy but pleased and Keith realizes it really matters to him. 

“Oh, thanks.”

“That was nothing, you should hear him belt showtunes.” Hunk leans across the counter, eyes bright. 

“Hunk!” Lance pales at his friend, eyes flicking to Keith, seemingly mortified. 

“What? You have an amazing voice Lance. You should sing more often.”

His eyes dart to Keith again as if seeking the same validation. While Keith doesn’t know why, he can’t argue; Lance can sing.

He swallows his mouth full of alien eggs as Lance ducks his head, placing a steaming cup of tea in front of Keith. 

“He’s right. You’re good.”

Lance flushes again, sliding onto the stool next to Keith as Hunk puts another omelette down in front of him, passing Lance a fork.

“Thanks,” he mutters shyly. He chuckles to himself, some of his usual confidence returning. “I wanted to be an opera singer when I was a kid.” He rolls his eyes like it’s stupid.

“You should have,” Pidge says, leaning around Keith and Lance scoffs. 

“I haven’t got the range.”

“Bullshit,” Pidge deadpans. 

Lance colors again. “What is this, embarrass Lance time?” he blusters. “Why don’t you pick on Keith?” 

“Because I happen to know that Keith isn’t a soprano.” Pidge grins, all teeth. “And you have the range of Freddie Mercury so shut up.” They lean back again, seemingly satisfied. 

“No one has the range of Freddie Mercury but Freddie Mercury you blasphemer,” Lance argues but he looks pleased.

“Wait, when have you heard me sing?” Keith asks, afraid that maybe he’d slipped up and Pidge had caught him singing to Red but Pidge’s expression falters.

“Wait you can sing?” Lance’s mouth goes slack. 

Now it’s Keith’s turn to blush. “I- I mean technically everyone can sing.”

Lance leans towards him. “Yeah but are you any good?” 

Keith’s shoulders curl towards his ears. “I don’t know, I’ve never sung to an audience before.” 

Pidge’s glasses flash. “Well  _ I _ have a new mission in life.” 

Keith groans, burying his burning face in his hands. 

Lance sits back in his stool, expression contemplative. “Huh.” A slow smile spreads across his face and he turns back to his eggs, bumping Keith’s knees under the counter. 

“Guess I’ll have to teach you Stray Cat Strut now so you can join in the fun next time.” His eyes sparkle when Keith dares to look at him from between his fingers.

“You’ve already got the steps down.” 

Keith groans but can’t quite smother the growing smile on his own face as his heart warms. He’d never expected to be invited in. He’s never really had friends before or inside jokes. 

For once he doesn’t feel like an outsider looking in. It’s like standing out in the snow looking in through a window and seeing the flickering fire light, people gathered around and laughing, enjoying one another’s company. And then Lance had opened the door and invited him in, the other just as eagerly nodding along. His heart swells and he doesn’t really know why but his eyes start to burn. 

When he feels like he’s not going to burn up or embarass himself by bursting into tears, Keith lowers his hand, nibbling on his eggs. He chews thoughtfully before swallowing, taking a sip of his tea surprised Lance knew where it was let alone how to make it.

“Why Stray Cat Strut?” he asks. “I never took you for someone who’d like that kind of music.”

Pidge pushes their glasses further up on their nose, eyes still on their laptop screen. “Cause it slaps. Next question.”

 


End file.
